Vietnam travel information...

Best time to goVietnam’s climate tends to vary from the North to South and also varies according to altitude. Southern Vietnam experiences only two seasons, wet and dry. The wet season lasts from May through to November while the dry extends from December through to April. February, March and April are typically hot and humid. Coastal central Vietnam is characterised by coastal lowlands and unlike the other regions of Vietnam, the most significant amounts of rainfall are experienced between the months of December and February. Dalat in the central highlands experiences cooler temperatures due to its altitude. From November to March daily highs range from the low to mid twenties, (Celsius) while evening temperatures drop significantly lower. Northern Vietnam experiences cool to cold temperatures from November through to March while hot conditions predominate from May through to October. February and March are typically characterised by constant drizzle. There really is no ’best’ time to travel as good weather conditions can be experienced in a certain part of the country all year round.

Visa informationAustralian ciizens MUST obtain a visa prior to arrival in Vietnam. Persons attempting to enter Vietnam without a valid visa are generally sent back to their last port of departure by Vietnamese authorities. You should review all visa conditions and carefully note any conditions listed on the immigration stamp which you will receive on arrival. Your passport must have at least six months remaining validity at the time of arrival in Vietnam. If you lose your passport which contains your visa for Vietnam or the visa document issued by Vietnamese authorities, you will need to obtain an exit visa from a Vietnamese immigration office. Vietnamese authorities will not permit you to depart Vietnam until the exit visa is issued. Processing may take up to 4 working days and a fee is payable.

There is a Visa on Arrival facility but this is ONLY provided with PRIOR approval before leaving Australia. This service provides you with a letter of pre-approval for a visa when you arrive - you must still however apply for and pay for your visa when you arrive in the country. This is a cheaper option that a visa obtained before leaving Australia - however be aware that it may take you up to one and a half hours to obtain this visa and you must still then line up and go through immigration procedures.

We strongly recommend that you check directly with the embassy prior to travel to check on up to date Visa information.Vietnam Embassy in Australia: http://www.vietnamembassy.org.au/Consular.htm

Getting aroundWith more limited time, flights present the best option to hop between the further apart destinations in the north, south and central areas of Vietnam. Vietnam Airlines (VN) has daily flights between Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Da Nang, Hue, and Nha Trang. Regular flights are also provided between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Dalat, Buon Ma Thuot, Hai Phong, Na San, Phu Quoc, Qui Nhon, Pleiku and Vinh.

If you have plenty of time the Reunification Express train runs the entire coast between Hanoi and HCMC, with stops along the way in Hue, Danang and Nha Trang. Train used to be the best way to get to Sapa however with the opening of the new freeway way from Hanoi to Lao Cai the trip now only takes around 5 hrs by road.

ClimateThe weather varies greatly from North to South, depending on elevation and type of landscape. Northern Vietnam (from Hue up North) has four seasons with a cold winter and hot summer. The temperature ranges from 5-6C in winter to up to 35C in summer. The further North it is, the colder it gets. In mountainous regions in the far North (such as Sapa) the temperature some times drops below zero. Rainy months are August, October, November. February and March have persistent, light, drizzling rain. Central Vietnam : Temperatures are high all year round. The temperature tends to be warmer and more humid than the South in the middle of the year and cooler during the dry season from November to April. Flooding may occur from October to December. Southern Vietnam: Has a distinct dry season (from November to April) and wet season (from May to October). Average temperature ranges from 25-30C. During wet months, heavy and short downpours may occur in mid-afternoons.

FoodLike everything else, Vietnamese food also differs geographically from location to location. North Vietnam’s food uses soy sauce, fish sauce and prawn sauce and has many stir fried dishes. With harsh weather and less developed agriculture than the South, North Vietnamese tend to use less meat, fish and vegetables; and black pepper (instead of chili) to create spice. The taste is strict and less sweet, but more salty than in other regions.

Central Vietnam is distinct in its extreme spices and color of food. Hue’s cuisine, affected by royal cuisine once created for kings and queens, emphasized on quality and quantity – A meal constitutes of many complex dishes served only at small proportions. Southern Vietnamese are heavily affected by Cambodia, Thai and Chinese cuisines (due to trade and immigrants). Southerners prefer sweet tastes (created by adding sugar or coconut milk) and spicy tastes (created by chili peppers). A variety of dried fish and sauces originate from the South. Southerners prefer seafood and use simple cooking methods with larger and less servings.

MoneyVietnam’s currency is dong issued by State Bank of Vietnam. Abbreviated form: “VND” before the amount or “d” after the amount. Small denominations include VND 200; 500; 1000; 2000; 5000 in both coin and paper notes though coin is more popular. Bigger denominations include VND 10,000; 20,000; 50,000; 100,000; 200,000; 500,000 in both polymer and normal paper notes. It is very common that ripped or torn notes are refused, but faded or disco loured notes are usually fine – so always check your change and be wary of accepting damage notes. Be especially careful if receiving change in USD notes as they must be in good condition or will not be accepted when trying to use them. ATMs are becoming more and more common and can be found in most cities, towns and every tourist destination. They will accept a selection of credit and bank-cards, including Visa, MasterCard, Maestro or Cirrus and several other systems. Typically withdrawals are limited to 2,000,000 dong per transaction, and will incur a 20,000 dong service fee. U

Phones, the Internet and WifiMost mobile phone service providers will be compatible with the networks used in Vietnam. If you do not have international roaming on your mobile phone and you wish to keep in touch with home without too much expense, we suggest you take an unlocked mobile phone with you and purchase a local SIM card on arriving in Vietnam. Text messages and calls using a local SIM are significantly cheaper than using your phone on international roaming rates. You can buy a SIM card in every shop selling mobile phones, or showing their network's brands. The standard price is no higher than 75,000 dong, but foreigners are often charged 100,000 dong. Prepaid account charges vary from 1,700-2,500 dong per minute. Recharge cards are available in denominations of 50,000, 100,000, 200,000 and 500,000 dong. Roaming onto Vietnam's GSM networks are possible with foreign mobile phones, subject to agreements between operators.

Most hotels and Internet café’s have international phone/fax facilities and internet services. Overseas calls are around the $1.60-$3.00/minute. International Direct Dial is available in the major towns, but the service can be expensive. Hotels sometimes add a hefty surcharge to their telephone bills: check before making long-distance calls. Internet access is available in all but the most remote towns. Internet cafes are available in most tourist spots and rates are fairly affordable, ranging from 2,000-10,000 dong per hour. Connection speeds are high, especially in the big cities. Many hotels and restaurants provide free Wi-Fi or terminals for their guests.

GeographyOccupying a long, thin part of the Indochinese peninsula, Vietnam shares borders with China, Laos and Cambodia. Much of Vietnam's terrain is mountainous, particularly the north and central highland regions. Although people still choose to live in the densely forested highland regions, most of Vietnam's population is concentrated in the cities of the low lying areas, where infrastructure is more easily built and the land is fertile. One of the 12 great rivers of the world, the Mekong, runs through Vietnam and has been responsible for wide-scale flooding. A system of canals and levees has been quite successful in redistributing the water during monsoons, and has helped to alleviate flooding in the Mekong Delta and surrounding areas

PeopleThe origins of the Vietnamese people are a combination of the Mongol races of north and east Asia, with Chinese and Indian influences. The population had reached an estimated 95 million in 2016, and is surpassed only by Indonesia as Southeast Asia's most heavily populated country. However, Vietnam is the regions most ethnically homogenous country with the Vietnamese making up about 90% of the population. There are 54 minority groups with the largest of these being the Tai and Hmong people who have been settled in the mountainous regions of the country for many centuries. About 3% of the population is ethnic Chinese living in the urban centres of the South.

LanguageVietnamese language reflects the country's unique mix of racial and cultural origins, with its fusion of monotonic Mon-Khmer, and Tai tonality and grammar. Having been a Chinese province for over a millenium (111 BC-939 AD), most of the country's governmental, literary, and technical vocabulary comes from the Chinese language. Though a writing system called Chunom, using partly modified Chinese characters, was developed in the 8th century. It was a French missionary in the mid-17th century who developed a system of spelling using the Roman alphabet that employed additional signs and several accents to indicate the tones. The use of this script spread and it was made the official written language by the French in 1910. Called Quoc-ngu or national language, it is now universally learned and written by all Vietnamese.

ReligionWith ten million followers and 20,000 pagodas, Buddhism is undoubtedly the largest established religion, however Vietnam has a rich and wide variety of religions based on imported faiths and popular beliefs, with several indigenous groups embracing animism, theism and ancestor worship. Catholicism, introduced by European missionaries, is the second largest religion, with about six million followers, and more than 6,000 churches.

Vietnam's indigenous religions, including the Cao Dai and Hoa Hao sects, have their holy lands in the city of Tay Ninh and the provinces of Chau Doc and An Giang in the Mekong Delta. They peacefully coexist with one another and have contributed to the struggle against foreign aggression through the Vietnam Fatherland Front. Visitors entering Buddhist pagodas are expected to remove their shoes and it is considered impolite to point feet, especially the soles, at people or statues of the Buddha. Donations to the upkeep of temples are not expected, but are received gratefully. Permission should be asked before taking photographs of people or in places of worship.

CustomsThe most appropriate manner of greeting is a gentle handshake and a smile. Though occasionally rigid, Vietnamese officials - such as the police - appreciate being treated in a firm, yet diplomatic manner. It is best to deal with misunderstandings with patience and good humour. Local people who offer assistance appreciate small gifts such as cigarette lighters, pens, foreign cigarettes, liquor, perfume and even shampoo. However, giving money to street beggars can lead to mob scenes as other beggars also attempt to impose upon such generosity. Each of the 54 minority groups in Vietnam have a host of different customs and rituals for daily life, birth, marriage and death.

Government of VietnamA socialist country, Vietnam is under the leadership of the Communist Party, which holds a national congress every five years to outline the country's future course, and formalise policies. The 450 member National Assembly - also open to non-party members - is the supreme organ of state, and the only body with constitutional and legislative power. The National Assembly elects the President of the State and the Prime Minister.

The President has the right to nominate candidates for a number of key positions, including the Chief Justice of the Supreme People's Court, and the Procurator-General of the People's Office of Supervision and Control. The National Assembly then approves nominees. The Prime Minister, who is charged with the day-to-day handling of the Government, has the right to nominate and dismiss the members of his cabinet, though only with the approval of the National Assembly. He also has at his disposal the power to cancel or suspend decisions or directives issued by the ministries.

Festivals & EventsIn Vietnam Expressing reverence, maintaining ancient traditions, remembering dead heroes, commemorating important events, demonstrating sporting abilities, or simply entertaining the community, Vietnamese culture has a long tradition of colourful festivals. Beyond the national events, listed below, many local festivals take place throughout the year around the country. These can feature puppet shows, folk songs, traditional music, local dances, wrestling, rowing, rice cooking, rope pulling, rope climbing, chess playing, cockfights, buffalo fights, and pigeon races. There are also scores of regional festivals, often jointly celebrated by collections of villages. Many ethnic groups also celebrate festivals.

January or February - Tet - Vietnamese and Chinese New Year- With a history that dates back thousands of years, the Tet festival was originally a celebration held by Vietnamese farmers to thank the gods for the arrival of spring, sometime between late January or early February. Although officially a three-day affair, festivities may continue for a week or more with every effort made to indulge in eating, drinking, and enjoyable social activities. It is also a time for family reunions, and for paying respect to ancestors and the elders. Gifts of food are made to friends, neighbors and relatives in the days before Tet.March : Hai Ba Trung DayOn the 6th day of the 2nd lunar month the revolt of the Trung Sisters against the Chinese in 40 AD is celebrated.Holiday of the Dead (Thanh Minh)Homage is paid to deceased ancestors and relatives by making solemn visits to graves, with offerings of food, flowers, and incense. The graves are normally cleaned and tidied a few days prior.April : Liberation Day of South VietnamThe 30th of April marks the fall of Saigon in 1975, and the final victory of the North Vietnamese Army.May: Summer Solstice Day (Doan Ngu)Celebrated on the fifth day of the fifth moon when offerings are made to the spirit world and to ward off pestilence and disease.August: Mid-Autumn or Children's Moon Festival (Tet-Trung-Thu) - The essence of Tet-Trung-Thu - celebrated on the 15th day of the eighth lunar month - is to promote education, culture, music, sports, arts and crafts, and poetry. Beginning at noon and ending at midnight, the festival includes folklore displays, children's games, lantern processions, performing shows, dances, martial arts demonstrations, arts and crafts exhibitions, food and drink booths, multicultural performances, essays, drawing and coloring contests. Delicacies include moon cakes, sticky rice, fruits and various sweets.Day of All Wandering Souls (Trung Nguyen) - The spirits of the dead are believed to frequent the residence of their offspring on this day. Food is offered on house altars for the souls of the deceased, and fake paper money is burnt in their honour. There are also celebrations in Buddhist temples.

History in BriefConquered by the armies of China's Han dynasty in 111 BC, it was not until 939 AD that the Vietnamese were able to expel the Chinese and begin a southward domination that, by the mid-18th century, had reached the Gulf of Siam. The 17th and 18th centuries were marked by the power struggles between feuding families in the north and south, as they attempted to control the largely ineffectual kings of the Le dynasty.

Vietnam finally fell to French colonial rule in 1884, after fierce resistance. Integral to Vietnam's eventual independence was Ho Chi Minh, who was one of many who established the Viet Minh - a broad coalition of anti-French groups. When Japan ousted France from power in March 1945, the Viet Minh began to infiltrate the countryside from their mountain bases in the north.

Following Japan's surrender, Viet Minh leaders announced the formation of a Democratic Republic of Vietnam, (DRV) and on September 2, 1945, proclaimed Vietnam's independence. The arrival of Allied forces, however, pushed Vietnam back into the hands of the French. After negotiations between the DRV and the French collapsed in December 1946, the Viet Minh attacked French forces in Hanoi and ignited an eight year war that culminated in the historic French military defeat at Dien Bien Phu in 1954.

Vietnam was split in two by the 1954 Geneva Accords: the Communist north, and the anti-Communist, US-supported, south. Political and ideological opposition fermented, and again turned into armed struggle, obliging the US and other countries to commit combat troops in 1965. This led to a prolonged and costly war, which at its 1969 peak, saw over half a million US combat troops stationed in South Vietnam. The Paris peace talks, begun in May 1968, eventually led to the US withdrawing troops from June 1969. However, the US continued to provide air and sea support to the South Vietnamese until a peace agreement was signed on January 27, 1973. Tens of thousands of North Vietnamese troops infiltrated the south to join the 160,000 already there at the time of the cease-fire and, at the beginning of 1975, they began a major offensive that led to the fall of Saigon on 30th April 1975. On 25th April 1976, the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was renamed the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. In 1977, Vietnam became a member of the United Nations.